bonaccorso



0. BONACCORSO.

- AUTOMATRC. TRAIN STOPPING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30. m9.

1,401,755, Patented Dec.- 27, 1921.-

2'SHEETS SHEET 1- A Q a *5 N R a i h N R k u "3 0 A; R a

h N 1 a R} 010'2/0' Banacmrsa VENTOR. WITNESS: 1N

ATTORNEI 0. BONACCORSO.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOPPING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30.1919. 1,401,755, Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Ural/'0 Bmaeeom warren stares GL FICE,

ORAZIO BONACCORSO, 0.1 PHILALZELPELIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO GEORGE LO BTJE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOIEATIC TRAIN-STOPPING- APPARATUS;

1,401,755. Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 30,

1 0 all whom it may 0012 069% Be it known that I, ORAZIO Bolvaooonso, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Train-Stopping Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic train stopping apparatus whereby when one car or train approaches another within a prescribed distance the car carried stopping mechanism on both cars or trains will be thrown into action automatically, incident to the proximity of the cars. whereby the propelling power of the *ars will be cut oil and the brakes applied.

In carrying out the present invention, it is my purpose to provide an apparatus of the class described whereby when one train approaches another from the front or the rear within a prescribed distance, the car carried stopping mechanism on both cars or trains as the case may be will be thrown into action to cut off the propelling power and effect an applicationof the brakes thereby bringing the cars or trains to a standstill and preventing a collision.

It is also my purpose to provide an automatic train'stopping apparatus or system which may be installed and maintained at a comparatively low cost and which will operate effectively under all weather conditions.

With the above and other objects in view, th invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set 'forth in and falling within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings;

Figure 1 is av diagrammatic view of train stopping apparatus constructed in ac cordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear side elevation of a locomotive cab showing the arrangement of the devicesof the car carried stopping mechanism, parts of the cab being broken away to disclose this structure.

Fig. 3- is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 in Fig.2.

Fig. is 'a fragmentary enlarged side elevation of the locomotive throttle lever detail of the invention;

Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

19191 Serial No. 307,509.

Fig. 5 is a similar view of another portion or the throttlelever.

l g. (5 is an enlarged fragmentary side r s a fragmentary plan view showing the arrangement of the conductors along th trz'iclrway on an enlarged scale.

in the present instance, I have shown the ear carried stopping mechanism as applied to a steam driven locomotive and 'in this connection I wish it to be understood that the car carried stopping mechanism maybe installed in electrically operated and other locomotives or motor cars.

lleterring now to the accompanying drawings and in detail in Figsl and 2,1 designates the throttle valve lever of a steam locomotive, such lever being movableabout the usual quadrant 2 and equipped with a looking dog engaging the teeth of the quadrant to hold the lever in the desired position. Disposedin proximity to the handle of the throttle lever 1 is the usual engineers' brake elevation oi the engineers brake valve,and

valve 3 by means of which the brake'equip- -ing the free end thereof passed through a bor 10 formed in the handle of th'ethrottle valve lever l and connected with the manipulating handle 11 of the locking dog'of the throttle lever. By means of this construction, it will be seen that when the'circuito of the motor is closed the latter will be energized to rotate the drum 7 thereby winding up the cable 8. In the initial movement of the cable the manipulating handle 11 of the locking dog is actuated to withdraw the locking dog from engagement with the teeth of the quadrant and in the continued wind- 5 ing of the cable the throttle lever is swung to close the valve thereby cutting off the mot ve power of the car. i. v

The extremity of the armature shaft is equipped with a bevel pinion 12 meshing with aisimilar pinion 13 loosely mounted upon the upper endjof the stem of the eng neers brake valve 3 above the manipulatin :liandle-ofsuch valve. Fixed to such stem below the pinion 13 is a disk 14: having the upper surface adjacent to the periphery thereof formed with ratchet teeth 15 engaged by a pawl 16 secured to the under surface-of the bevel pinion 13. In the rotation of the armature shaft of the motor 41 to swing the throttle lever 1 to close the throttle valve as previously-described, the bevel pinion 12 actuates the pinion 13 and the pawl 16 and ratchetteeth 15-on the disk 14 effect a rigid connection between the bevel pinion 13 and the stem-of the engineers brake valve so that in the; rotation of the armature shaft the brake valve is manipulated to effect an applicationof the brakes. By means of the pawl andratchet connection between the pinion 13 and the stem of the engineers brake valve, the latter may. be operated manually to cause an application of the brakes, while when the handle of the brake valve is moved to release the brakes, the armature shaft of the motor rotates incident to the fixed connection between the stem of the brake valve andthe bevel pinion 14:, the latter acting to impart movement to pinion 13, through the pawl, and therefore rotate pinion 12 on the armature shaft. This will produce slack in cable 8, the slack being taken up upon the next movement of the throttle lever to open position. Located upon one face of the quadrant, of the throttle lever is a spring switch comprisin in the present instance, a lever 17 pivote at one end upon a stud 18 and equipped with an insulated handle 19 and adapted to engage a contact 20 secured to the quadrant, a coiled contractile spring 21 having one end secured to the lever 17 and the opposite end fastened to the adj acent face ofthe quadrant, such spring acting to maintain the'lever of the switch in engagement withthe contact 20; Projecting outwardly from the throttle lever is a pin 22 adapted in the movement of the lever to closed position under theaction of the motor to engage the handle 19 on the lever 17 and swing the lever outof engagement with the contact 20. Terminali18 of this spring switch is to be connectedlby wire 27 with the track brush or other conducting element 28, and terminal 20 isto be connected by a wire 4 with brush 26 of'motor 4. When the throttle lever is moved to close the valve, the spring switch will be opened by engagement between pin 22'and1han'dle 19, throwing the switch blade outlofengagement with contact 20 and breakin'gthe motor circuit.

7 The electric circuit 5 for the motor 4 will be" seen by reference to Fig. 1, to include a dynamo 6 mentioned heretofore and a brush 23j0f'tl161 dynamo is connected with a con- 'd"fictor*24""to"a brush 25 of the motor, the

other brush of the motor being indicated by the numeral 26, having connection with a conductor 27 which in turn is connected to a conductor wheel or element 28. 29, 30-indicate parallel lines of rails constituting the track-way, also forming electric current carrying conductors. Between the rails 29, 30 are conductor sections 31, 32, having rela tively insulated portions 33 with a portion 31 of one section connecting with an op posite portion 31 of the same section by a transverse connection 31, each conductor being in the nature of a step formation, to have one portion thereof for instance, extending a certain distance and then crossing over and extending on another distance at the end of which it will be insulated from the next section, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The truck wheels of the locomotive or vehicle operating over the rails 29, 30 are indicated by the numerals 34c, 35, and the truck axle or body forms an electric conductor and is indicated by the numeral 36. The dynamo 6 is operated by a shaft 37 which on its extremity carries a wheel 38 operating over the track rail 30 thus generating the current which is to be subsequently applied to the motor and by reference to Figure 1, it will be seen that the conductor element or wheel 28 spans the conductor sections 31, 32 at all times and operates over the same when the vehicle operates over the trackway. It will of course be understood that in Big. 1, I have shown the electric connections for one vehicle on the left hand side and similar electric connections for the vehicle on the right hand side and that when the two vehicles come within the prescribed distance namely within the extent of one of the conductor sections, a circuit will be closed to bring about operation of the motor 4, although the dynamo of each unit will of course be operating all the time.

Now assuming that two trains have approached. one another within a distance shorter than the length of one conductor section, it will be seen that an electric circuit will be closed to operate the motor and this may be more clearly brought out by following the circuitv from the brushv 23 of the dynamo 6 commencing with the unit at the left hand side of Fig. 1. The path of the current therefore will be from the brush 23 of the dynamo 6, through the conductor 36 and the truck wheel 35 to and along the rail 30 to the truck wheel 35 of the other unit, axle 36, wire 27', brush 26, motor 4 of this right hand unit, brush or conducting element 25, wire 5, brush 23, generator 6, brush 23, wire 31 element 28 from which current will pass through the portion 31 of the section 31 and thence on through the cross connection 31 to the portion 31 of the conductor section 31, to the conductor element or wheel 28 of the left hand unit and then up through the conductor 2?, brush 26 and motor 4 and then through the brush and conductor 24. to the other brush 23 of the dynamo. It will be seen that when the circuit is closed in this manner the motor 4- will of course be placed in operation and will therefore actuate the cable 8 to exert a pull on the throttle 1 and at the same time through the medium of the pinions 12, 18, operate the engineers brake valve 3.

It will of course be understood that the lengths of the conductor sections may be arranged as desired and varied to suit existing conditions and that although the dynamo of every unit in the system will be in operation at all times that the vehicle is operating over the track-way, the motor l of each unit will not operate until the circuit is closed and then of coursewill be actuated to ac complish the desired result.

From the foregoing description taken in conection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and mode of operation of invention will be readily apparent. It will be seen that I have provided an automatic train stopping apparatus or system whereby trains within the same block, that is to say, within the prescribed distance of one another, will be brought to a stop automatically.

While I have herein shown and described one preferred form of my invention by way of illustration, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit or confine myself to the precise details of construction herein described and delineated, as modification and variation may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having described my invention I claim-- 1. In train stopping apparatus, the combination with a track-way divided into blocks, of car carried stopping mechanism comprising an electric motor, means operable t'rom said motor for cutting off the propelling power of the car, a connection between said motor and the engineers brake valve, means for operating the motors on cars within the same block whereby the propelling power will be cut oil and the brakes applied, and means operable to break the circuit oi each motor simultaneously with the cutting off of the propelling power of the car, said means last named including a switch opened simultaneously with the closing of a controlling lever of the vehicle and operated by said lever.

2. In train stopping apparatus, car carried stopping mechanism comprising an electric motor, a connection between said motor and the engineers brake valve, a drum fixed to the motor shaft, a flexible connection between said drum and the throttle lever of the engine whereby the latter will be closed by the operation of the motor, a circuit for the motor, a spring switch in said circuit, and

means carried by the lever for engaging the.

switch and opening the latter when the lever is thrown to closing position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ORAZIO BONACCORSO. 

